History of Barcelona in Timeline

Barcelona is a major city on Spain's northeastern coast, the capital of Catalonia, and the country's second-most populous municipality. Its metropolitan area houses approximately 5.3 million residents, ranking among the largest in the European Union. Situated along the Mediterranean coast between the Llobregat and Besòs rivers and bordered by the Serra de Collserola mountains, Barcelona is a significant Mediterranean metropolis.

1900: Barcelona population in 1900

In 1900, Barcelona had a population of 533,000.

1900: Percentage of children in Barcelona's population

In 1900, children (aged younger than 14 years) made up almost a third (28.9 percent) of Barcelona's population.

1929: Barcelona International Exposition (Expo 1929)

In 1929, Barcelona hosted the Barcelona International Exposition (Expo 1929).

1931: Barcelona becomes capital of autonomous Catalonia

In 1931, Barcelona became the capital of autonomous Catalonia, marking a significant moment in the region's history.

1931: Capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia

In 1931, Barcelona became the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia, shortly after the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic.

1936: Epicenter of the Spanish Revolution

In 1936, Barcelona became the epicenter of the revolution experienced by Catalonia during the Spanish Revolution.

January 1939: The fall of Barcelona

On January 26, 1939, Barcelona fell, causing a mass exodus of civilians fleeing to the French border during the Spanish Civil War.

1939: Capture by fascists

In 1939, Barcelona was captured by the fascists, marking a turning point in the Spanish Civil War.

1950: Barcelona starts absorbing a high number of people

In 1950, Barcelona started absorbing a high number of people from other less-industrialized parts of Spain.

1957: Foundation of EADA Business School

In 1957, the EADA Business School was founded, becoming the first Barcelona institution to run manager training programmes for the business community.

1960: First version of Barcelona's Municipal Law

In 1960, a first version of Barcelona's Municipal Law (Carta Municipal) was passed.

1975: Death of Franco

In 1975, the death of Franco initiated a period of democratization throughout Spain, with strong pressure for change in Barcelona.

September 1977: Massive demonstrations for Catalan autonomy

In September 1977, over a million people demonstrated peacefully in Barcelona, calling for the restoration of Catalan autonomy, which was granted less than a month later.

1979: Barcelona's population peaked

In 1979, Barcelona's population peaked at 1,906,998.

1982: Matches of the FIFA World Cup

In 1982, Barcelona hosted several matches during the FIFA World Cup.

1986: Spanish Accession to the European Community

In 1986, Spanish accession to the European Community promoted Barcelona's development.

1986: Re-creation of Barcelona Pavilion

In 1986, a modern re-creation of Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion, designed in 1929, was constructed by Spanish architects after the original was torn down in 1930.

1987: ETA car bombing at Hipercor

In 1987, an ETA car bombing at Hipercor killed 21 people in Barcelona.

1987: City divided into administrative districts

Since 1987, Barcelona has been divided into 10 administrative districts.

1990: Increased hotel rooms construction

Between 1990 and 2004, the number of hotel rooms in Barcelona doubled, reflecting the city's growing popularity.

1990: Increase in tourism

In 1990, Barcelona saw 1.7 million tourists.

1992: Hosting the Summer Olympics

In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics, solidifying its position as a major international city.

1992: Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics

In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics, which led to major changes in the city's infrastructure and perception.

1992: Barcelona's designation as host city of the Summer Olympics

In 1992, Barcelona's designation as host city of the Summer Olympics promoted Barcelona's development.

1992: Opening of Beaches for Summer Olympics

In 1992, as a result of city restructuring to host the Summer Olympics, beaches such as Nova Icària, Bogatell, Mar Bella, Nova Mar Bella and Llevant were opened after demolishing many industrial buildings.

1992: Renovation of Estació del Nord for Olympic Games

In 1992, the Estació del Nord (Northern Station), a former railway station, was renovated to serve as the terminus for long-distance and regional bus services for the Olympic Games.

1992: 1992 Olympics held in Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys

The Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys was used for the 1992 Olympics.

1996: Proportion of Barcelona population born outside of Spain

In 1996, only 3.9% of Barcelona's population was born outside of Spain.

1997: Industrial establishments in Catalonia

In 1997, the Barcelona metropolitan area held 67% of the total number of industrial establishments in Catalonia.

1999: New venue for the OBC

In 1999, the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra (OBC) inaugurated its new venue in the brand-new Auditorium (L'Auditori).

2000: Revival of Catalan language

Barcelona's cultural roots go back 2000 years. Since the arrival of democracy, the Catalan language has been promoted, both by recovering works from the past and by stimulating the creation of new works.

2000: Barcelona population bottomed out

In 2000, Barcelona's population bottomed out with 1,496,266 residents.

2000: Bread & Butter urban fashion fair begins

In the summer of 2000, Barcelona began hosting the Bread & Butter urban fashion fair.

2001: Proportion of Barcelona population born outside of Spain

In 2001, the percentage of Barcelona population born outside of Spain was 8.6%.

2001: New wave of immigration

Since 2001, Barcelona has experienced a new wave of immigration, particularly from Latin America and Morocco, reversing a population decline.

2002: Inauguration of Diagonal Mar Park

In 2002, Diagonal Mar Park, covering 13.3 ha or 32.9 acres, was inaugurated in Barcelona.

2004: Increased hotel rooms construction

Between 1990 and 2004, the number of hotel rooms in Barcelona doubled, reflecting the city's growing popularity.

2004: Barcelona city GDP per head in 2004

In 2004, Barcelona city had a GDP of €80,894 per head.

2004: Barcelona hosted the Universal Forum of Cultures and World Urban Forum

In 2004, Barcelona hosted the Universal Forum of Cultures and the World Urban Forum.

2004: Construction of Bathing Zone after Universal Forum of Cultures

The 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures led to the creation of a large concrete bathing zone on the eastern part of Barcelona's coastline.

March 2006: Approval of Barcelona's Municipal Law

In March 2006, the current version of Barcelona's Municipal Law (Carta Municipal) was approved, organizing the city council and defining its relationship with the central government.

2006: CosmoCaixa Receives European Museum Award

In 2006, CosmoCaixa, a science museum in Barcelona, received the European Museum of the Year Award.

May 2007: Election results and coalition government

Following the May 2007 election, ERC did not renew the coalition agreement, and the PSC governed in a minority coalition with ICV as the junior partner.

2007: Most Barcelona inhabitants stated they are Roman Catholic

In 2007, most of Barcelona's inhabitants stated they are Roman Catholic.

2008: Barcelona Population Density

In 2008, the Barcelona city council calculated the population to 1,621,090, giving the city an average population density of 15,926 inhabitants per square kilometre.

June 2009: New terminal opens at Barcelona-El Prat Airport

On June 17, 2009, a new terminal (T1) entered service at Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

2009: The Brandery urban fashion show begins

From 2009, The Brandery, an urban fashion show, was held in Barcelona twice a year.

2009: FC Barcelona wins six trophies

In 2009, FC Barcelona won six trophies in a calendar year, becoming one of only 2 male football teams in the world to win the coveted sextuple.

2009: Bread & Butter urban fashion fair leaves Barcelona

In 2009, organizers announced that the Bread & Butter urban fashion fair would be returning to Berlin. This was a hard blow for the city as the fair brought €100 m to the city in just three days.

2009: Catalan Education Act Stipulations

In 2009, the Catalan Education Act stipulated that the language of instruction at public schools and escoles concertades is Catalan.

2009: Barcelona GDP in 2009

In 2009, the greater Barcelona metropolitan area had a GDP amounting to $177 billion, making it the 4th most economically powerful city by gross GDP in the European Union.

2010: Barcelona Marathon

In March 2010, the Barcelona Marathon had over 10,000 participants.

May 2011: CiU gains plurality in municipal election

On May 22, 2011, after 32 years, CiU gained a plurality of seats at the municipal election, gaining 15 seats to the PSC's 11. The PP hold 8 seats, ICV 5 and ERC 2.

2011: Catholic Residents in Barcelona

In 2011, a survey conducted by InfoCatólica found that 49.5% of Barcelona residents identified as Catholic.

2011: Merge of Institutions for Museum of Natural Sciences

In 2011, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona resulted from a merger of five institutions, including the Martorell Museum, the Laboratori de Natura, the Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona and the Botanical Garden of Barcelona.

2012: Barcelona becomes the 12th most popular city destination

By 2012, Barcelona had become the 12th most popular city destination in the world and the 5th most popular in Europe, showcasing its transformation and appeal.

2012: The Brandery urban fashion show ends

The Brandery, an urban fashion show, was held in Barcelona twice a year until 2012.

2013: Linguistic Census by the Government of Catalonia

According to the linguistic census held by the Government of Catalonia in 2013, Spanish is the most spoken language in Barcelona and it is understood almost universally.

2013: World Aquatics Championships

In 2013, Barcelona was the host city for the World Aquatics Championships, which were held at the Palau San Jordi.

2013: Launch of RENFE-SNCF high-speed rail

In 2013, a shared RENFE-SNCF high-speed rail line connecting Barcelona and France (Paris, Marseille, and Toulouse, via the Perpignan-Barcelona high-speed rail line) was launched, serving the Barcelona Sants terminal station.

2013: Pleasure cruise passengers in Port of Barcelona

In 2013, the Barcelona harbor served 3.6 million pleasure cruise passengers, solidifying its position as a leading European cruiser port and a vital Mediterranean turnaround base.

2013: Visitors to FC Barcelona Museum

In 2013, the FC Barcelona Museum attracted 1.51 million visitors, making it the third most popular tourist attraction in Catalonia.

2013: Trade volume of Port of Barcelona

In 2013, the Port of Barcelona had a trade volume of 1.72 million TEU's, making it Europe's ninth largest container port.

2014: Muslim population in the province of Barcelona

In 2014, 322,698 people in the province of Barcelona identified as Muslim, making up 5.6% of the total population.

2014: Southern European City of the Future for 2014/15

In 2014, Barcelona was recognized as the Southern European City of the Future for 2014/15 by FDi Magazine, based on its economic potential.

2015: Barcelona's Royal Gold Medal Recognition

As of 2015, Barcelona remains the only city to have won the RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, which it received in 1999.

2015: Sagrada Familia Completion Plan

As of 2015, the completion of the Sagrada Familia church is planned for 2026, continuing to be financed by private donations.

2015: Barcelona designated a City of Literature

In 2015, Barcelona joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Literature.

2015: Barcelona named seventh most important fashion capital

In 2015, Barcelona was named as the seventh most important fashion capital of the world right after Milan and before Berlin, according to the Global Language Monitor's annual ranking.

2015: Barcelona ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world

In 2015, Barcelona was ranked as the 24th most "livable city" in the world according to Monocle magazine.

March 2016: Barcelona Hotels

As of March 2016, Barcelona has 519 hotels including 35 five-star hotels.

2016: Barcelona ranked 15th safest city

In 2016, Barcelona was ranked as the 15th safest city in the world by Business Insider, due to its sophisticated policing strategy that has dropped crime by 32% in just over three years.

2016: Birthplace of Barcelona inhabitants

In 2016, approximately 59% of Barcelona's inhabitants were born in Catalonia, with 22.5% born outside of Spain.

May 2017: Barcelona Listed Among "Eight Places That Hate Tourists the Most"

In May 2017, The Independent listed Barcelona as one of the "Eight Places That Hate Tourists the Most." Mayor Ada Colau expressed a desire to avoid turning the city into a "cheap souvenir shop," similar to Venice, leading to measures like halting new hotel licenses and fining AirBnb €30,000.

August 2017: Terrorist attack on La Rambla

On August 17, 2017, a van was driven into pedestrians on La Rambla in Barcelona, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.

2017: Demographics of Barcelona's population

In 2017, children (aged younger than 14 years) made up only 12.7% of the population of Barcelona, with people aged 65 and older making up 21.5% of the population.

2017: Protests against tourism increase

In early 2017, over 150,000 protesters demonstrated against the destabilizing effects of tourism in Barcelona, where visitor numbers had risen to 32 million, leading to increased rental costs and overcrowding.

2018: Barcelona-El Prat Airport handles over 50 million passengers

In 2018, Barcelona-El Prat Airport handled more than 50.17 million passengers, showing an annual upward trend.

2019: Catholic Residents in Barcelona

In 2019, a survey by Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas showed that 53.2% of residents in Barcelona identified themselves as Catholic.

2020: Barcelona one of the most affordable cities in the world for a luxury lifestyle

According to the Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2020, Barcelona is one of the most affordable cities in the world for a luxury lifestyle.

2020: FC Bayern Munich wins six trophies

In 2020, FC Bayern Munich wins six trophies, equaling the feat of FC Barcelona in 2009.

July 2023: Barcelona announced as UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture

In July 2023, Barcelona was announced as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for the 2024-2026 term.

2023: Barcelona ranks as the 9th most visited city

In 2023, Barcelona was the 9th most visited city in the world by international visitors and the fifth most visited city in Europe.

April 2024: Protests against overtourism begin.

In April 2024, protests against overtourism began in Barcelona.

July 2024: Peak of protests against overtourism

In July 2024, the protests against overtourism reached its peak in the city.

2024: Barcelona population in 2024

As of 2024, Barcelona has a population of 1,686,208.

2024: Barcelona to be the hub for discussion around global challenges

Starting in 2024, Barcelona will be the hub for discussion around global challenges, including culture, heritage, urban planning and architecture as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture

July 2025: Further anti-tourism protests

In July 2025, Anti-tourism protests were organised by the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification (SET).

2026: Planned Completion of Sagrada Familia

In 2026, the Sagrada Familia church is planned to be completed, after being under construction since 1882.

2026: Barcelona to be the hub for discussion around global challenges

Through 2026, Barcelona will be the hub for discussion around global challenges, including culture, heritage, urban planning and architecture as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture, and will host the UIA World Congress of Architects that year.

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